Cross Connection Control Overview
The City of Hartford Water Utility is working with Hydro Designs Inc. of Brookfield, Wisconsin to manage our Cross Connection Control Program. Hydro Designs Inc. is an environmental services firm that specializes in backflow prevention and cross connection control. They currently manage program services for over 80 municipalities and water utilities in Michigan and Wisconsin.

Representatives from Hydro Designs Inc. will perform the initial inspections of all commercial, industrial and public authority buildings throughout the city to detect actual and potential cross connections and make recommendations for the installation of backflow prevention devices or assemblies where necessary. This will help ensure that contaminated or polluted water cannot backflow into clean drinking water.

Cross Connection Control Program
This is a combined cooperative effort between plumbing and health officials, municipalities, water utilities, and property owners to establish and administer guidelines for controlling cross-connections and ensuring enforcement so that the public drinking water supply is protected both in the city water distribution system and within buildings to the point of use.

Our program consists of the following components:

Annual Testing: All backflow prevention assemblies will be tested once a year by certified testers, at the property owner’s expense.

Cross-Connection Survey: All industrial, commercial, and public authority facilities’ plumbing systems will be inspected to determine if cross-connections exist and appropriate corrective actions will be outlined if applicable.

Installation of Protective Devices: Where known unprotected cross-connections are identified, property owners will be required to install backflow prevention devices or assemblies.

Public Education Program: We will inform our water customers with newsletters and brochures. Visit the following website for more information and resources: